Our founding fathers started this country for many reasons; to avoid religious persecution, escape from the general tyranny of Royal rulers, and to be free.
This world has a plethora of religions Buddhism, Muslim, Catholic, Protestant, etc. A variety of differences between them and those who practice their faith, whichever it may be, truly believes they are practicing the "only" one that matters. Not to mention those with no religious beliefs.
Top this with those who cringe at the mention of "God" in anything remotely associated with government and schools.
Where is all this going?
California recently made it legal for gay couples to get legally married in their state. Before it even became legal, the bible-thumping public was expressing outrage around the country!
It is very interesting how when it is for something wanted by this group of people, the Bible and religion can be invoked at-will, yet do not say "Under God" when reciting the Pledge of Allegiance in schools and courts cannot have the Ten Commandments displayed near their entrance without someone whining about it.
Why is it acceptable that religion can be invoked to prevent gay couples from marrying, yet the same courts cannot have religious-themed art placed near them?
It is not man's place to police or enforce the commandments from one religious sect to another.
There are those who oppose gay marriages as detrimental to the marriage vows.
My question to those particular individuals would be: How many times are individuals married only to have that marriage end in divorce? How many divorces are granted each DAY in this country? This seems to me to be a bigger violation of marriage vows than two people in love wanting to marry.
The paper is full of divorce decrees granted by courts, there are those in the public eye that have a marriage marked in minutes, literally less than a day before annulment was granted, out of those who are legally married, how many honor the commitment their vows represent? Adultery is just as common as divorce.
How dare one person try to push their religious beliefs on a group of people solely because THEY believe it is against THEIR religion to do for them to be wed!
If anyone believes for one second that opposing gay marriage will magically make this ostracized community disappear, think again.
Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness: The Declaration of Independence has these words for their citizens. It wasn't "Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness as long as those who oppose these actions aren't offended."
All those who wish to be legally married want is the right to be treated, by law, as a spouse of the person they have declared their love for. The ramifications are huge.
Consider this; your spouse (of the opposite sex) is critically ill and in the intensive care unit of the local hospital. The majority of hospitals have regulations in place that only allow immediate family members to visit inside the unit.
Based on this, consider a gay "partnership." If one of the partnership ends in the intensive care ward, the hospital does not consider the gay partner as an immediate family and prohibits visitation of the ill loved one, possibly for the final time before death.
Two people declare their love, and due to a select few being "offended" because they want to be married, the couple is not able to wed. They work their entire lives, paying into retirement plans with the hopes of one day spending their "golden years" together only to have some catastrophe happen which separates them.
Possibly one becomes incapacitated by a debilitating disease or accident leaving them unable to speak for themselves. The family moves in and begins making decisions without regard for the other half of the relationship. Mainly this happens when the family doesn't agree with the gay lifestyle and justifies the illness/injury as "God's punishment" for their life of "sin."
There are gay military members actively serving in our branches of service (legally allowed to do so as long as they "don't ask don't tell") but they cannot settle down and have a family and a life. They cannot have a relationship whereby they can have the same legal protection afforded a man-wife couple.
They can give their lives for their country, but they cannot get legally married; an unjust act against them.
There was a time when interracial marriages were prohibited; today they are as common as marriages between same races.
There is absolutely no way approving marriages for homosexuals will in any way affect the population. They will be living together anyway, in most cases. Instead, it will help another group of people protect their rights.
I don't say to put your best clothes on and attend these ceremonies, nor should someone protest them. Do not force the religious beliefs of some onto others.
In the end, if this is truly offensive to the God worshiped by the gay community, when their "Judgment Day" arrives, it will be between them and their God their final fate. Until then, mortal man should not prevent two consenting adults in full control of their mental faculties from entering into a committed and LEGAL bond with someone they wish to spend their life with.
I can make one guarantee, one day, it will be legal. History shows this to be true.
There was a time when women could not vote and blacks could not ride a bus in any seat they wished to. People from those times would cringe to see how we have regressed today. There are still those who not only are against it, but willing to take this "issue" on to prevent it all because of their own beliefs.
Nobody is asking the naysayers to join into the wedding, not as bride/groom, nor witness. A gay marriage will in truth, no way affect 99.999% of the population of this country, other than to give someone a "cause" to fight against.
If the only reason to oppose gay marriage is because some believe their religion prohibits it, then do not force these religious beliefs onto others. Instead turn the other cheek (I seem to remember there are words to that meaning in many religious bibles) and neither prohibit nor support it.
Many want all to vote against these unions, many others have already voted in their states against it. "We sure showed those homos they can't get married here!" Yes it has been shown that it is possible for someone to force their beliefs on others, yet if someone was to try to force theirs onto these same people, I can guarantee it would not be taken quietly and those at the receiving end would fight it with every fiber of their being.
When it comes to visit your polling place with gay marriage/civil unions on the ballot, I can only hope the majority will be more tolerant of those things that will not affect their life and allow others their right of "Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of their happiness."